"Tornado Outbreak Raises Climate Change Questions"

"The images of the tornadoes and the destruction they have wrought have sparked plenty of questions: why did this outbreak occur, and why has April been such an active month for tornadoes? And, might global climate change be making tornadoes stronger or more frequent, or perhaps be shifting Tornado Alley out of the Great Plains and into more heavily populated areas of the South?

Those of us who write about climate change are often accused of attempting to link every unusual weather event to climate change, as if increasing air and ocean temperatures can explain everything from hurricanes to snowstorms. In this case, with the second-deadliest tornado outbreak in US history, and with the most tornadoes for any April since records began in the early 1950s, it's important to understand that the scientific evidence indicates that climate change probably played a very small role, if any, in stirring up this violent weather. This might disappoint some advocates who are already using this to highlight the risks of climate change-related extreme weather."

Andrew Freedman reports for Climate Central April 29, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"Why Have So Many Tornadoes Hit The US This Month?" (New Scientist)